Happy Birthday, Audra
by Vol lady
Summary: It's Audra's birthday, and she wants a small party for only the family. Then she gets caught in a storm, and a lot of plans change.


Happy Birthday, Audra

Nick actually stopped pouring his drink midway through filling the glass, and he turned away from the refreshment table to stare straight at his mother. "What do you mean, she doesn't want a birthday party this year?"

Victoria shrugged. "Just what I said. She doesn't want any kind of party, just a quiet family dinner and maybe a small cake, and that's it."

Nick looked around at his mother and his two brothers, all of whom seemed to understand what this was about even if he didn't. "Come on, Nick," Jarrod said. "After what happened last year, can you blame her?"

Last year, Audra had turned 19, and the party was as wonderful as any party ever held in this house – until Evan Miles happened. He manhandled her, and Heath tore him away from her, and that led to a horrible downward spiral. Heath was wounded, Nick nearly went ballistic out for revenge, Evan tried to attack Audra again, Victoria ended up killing Evan, and Jarrod ended up having to confront Evan's parents with everything Evan had done that indicated he was a very sick young man.

Nick understood. "Oh. Yeah, she's probably right. But still – she's turning 20. We have to celebrate that somehow with more than a dinner and a small cake."

Heath shrugged. "Nick, a girl should have what she wants for her birthday. I talked to her about it just this morning. She wants everything low key."

"She should have something special," Nick said. "I know she'd appreciate that, even with everything that happened last year."

Victoria looked at her other sons. "Special doesn't have to be lavish, I suppose. Do you have something particular in mind, Nick?"

Nick thought. August 26 was still a month away. "Not yet, but I'm sure if we put our minds to it, we can come up with something she'll like that won't remind her of last year."

"Well," Jarrod said, "I actually have had something in mind, but I haven't associated it with her birthday."

"What's that?" Heath asked.

Jarrod smiled a little. "There's a new attorney coming into town, a young guy I know from San Francisco. His name is Randy Maitland. Fine young attorney. He wants to get out of the big city, I suggested Stockton. I told him I'd help him get set up, and frankly, when he said he wanted to move here, I immediately thought of our little sister."

"You're suggesting we get Audra a beau for her birthday?"

"Not exactly," Jarrod said. "He'll just be arriving sometime around her birthday. We could still have a very quiet birthday celebration with just the family on her birthday, and after Randy gets here and gets settled a little, I thought we might have him out here for dinner."

"How well do you know this young man?" Victoria asked.

"I've worked with him a few times," Jarrod said. "He's a very good lawyer, very ethical, very trustworthy. He's 26 years old, but that's not too old for our little sister, who I might say is showing she's becoming wise beyond her years."

"She's still spoiled," Nick said, "which is why it surprises me she doesn't want a big party."

"That's my point, Nick," Jarrod said. "What happened last year, a couple things that have happened this year – she's not the spoiled little debutante she used to be. She's growing up, despite herself – and despite us."

"I think we might have Heath to thank for some of that," Victoria said.

"Me?" Heath said, genuinely surprised.

"She finally has a brother who's not so much older than she is that she can't really relate to him," Victoria said.

"Older?" Nick said. "Maybe Jarrod's 'so much older,' but I'm not."

"You're almost ten years older than she is, Nick," Victoria reminded him.

"And I'm 14 years older," Jarrod said. "Mother has a point, Nick. Heath is more like a brother to her than we are."

Nick grumbled.

Heath smiled, pleased to hear that Victoria noticed how well he and Audra were relating to one another. He had noticed she was different with him than she was with Jarrod and Nick. She often acted more like a daughter to Jarrod than a brother. With Nick, she seemed to realize she could wrap him around her finger and he would cave in to whatever she wanted. But with him, she was more straightforward. They were more equal. She could talk to him more easily about things she seemed to be reluctant to talk to Jarrod or Nick or even Victoria about. And he could talk to her.

"So, I guess we're agreed," Heath said. "A quiet birthday dinner with just the family, and a bit later, a potential beau that Pappy will bring to her."

The thought of Jarrod leading a young man in by the hand for Audra to peruse made Nick grin from ear to ear. "Actually, that sounds kind of nice – except, Big Brother, you run the risk of our little sister throwing that temper of hers at you if she thinks you're setting her up."

"I'll run that risk," Jarrod said.

Victoria noticed Audra at the landing upstairs. "Here she comes," Victoria said quietly. "Time to change the subject."

Audra had bathed after coming in from a ride, and now she was dressed in a pretty blue dress that matched her eyes. As she came in to join them, Nick asked, "Some wine, Baby Sister?"

"Baby Sister," Audra said with an insincere sneer. "I'm turning 20 in a month, you know, you cowboy."

Nick laughed and poured her some white wine. "Yeah, I guess babyhood is over."

"Mother, have you told them I don't want a big party this year?" Audra asked.

Victoria was a little surprised Audra was bringing that up so matter-of-factly, but she went with it. "I was just telling them that."

Jarrod gave his sister a kiss on the cheek. "Whatever you want is fine with the rest of us, my darling."

"My darling," Audra said with a smile and smirked at Nick. "That beats your 'Baby Sister,' Nick."

"You win," Nick said and kissed her cheek, "my darling."

"I don't know," Heath said. "I'm still partial to Baby Sister."

When Heath kissed her, Audra said, "For you, Heath, I'll allow it."

Victoria smiled, watching her children. She knew how darned lucky a woman she was, to have three sons and a daughter who actually loved each other. In so many families, the siblings barely got along, but the Barkleys were different. Victoria kept to herself her concerns about Audra having too many memories about last year's birthday. Instead, she hoped the small dinner followed by dinner with Jarrod's friend some days later was going to be just what the doctor ordered to start a new year toward 21. And given how much her sons loved their sister, she was pretty sure that was going to happen.

XXXXXXX

On the morning of Audra's birthday, the rest of the family gathered for breakfast, allowing her to sleep in if she wanted. As soon as the morning prayer was finished, Nick dug into the plate of steak, saying, "Jarrod, has that friend of yours shown up in town yet?"

"No, Nick, not yet, but any day now," Jarrod said.

"Audra still doesn't know about him?" Heath asked.

Audra suddenly came in. "Know about who?" she asked as she sat down.

"About 'whom'," Jarrod corrected her, hoping to deflect the question.

"About whom?" Audra said anyway.

"A new lawyer in town," Jarrod admitted. "Someone I know from San Francisco. A fine young man I hope to have you meet someday, but he's not here yet."

"What are your plans for the day, dear?" Victoria asked.

"Nothing much," Audra said. "Just a nice long ride after lunch, and then a great big piece of Silas's cake for my birthday."

"Sounds good to me," Heath said. "Where do you think you'll ride to?"

"Oh, I'm not sure," Audra said. "Maybe along Brady Creek, or maybe out toward San Miguel."

"Let us know when you decide," Victoria said. "We don't want you to miss your own birthday celebration."

"Don't worry, I won't," Audra said.

XXXXXXX

After lunch, Audra took off riding toward Brady Creek, telling her mother she would be back before four o'clock. She had considered riding out to see Nick and Heath where they were tending herd, but she changed her mind. There was a spot along Brady Creek, just off the Barkley property and onto Mr. Brady's land, that Mr. Brady allowed her to visit whenever she wanted. It was a place her father used to take her to for private picnics together. Mr. Brady knew that and knew how much she missed her father. There were never any cattle there, only peace and quiet, and in late August like this, there were tall yellow wildflowers.

The flowers always made Audra laugh, because her father hated wildflowers. They always messed up his vegetable garden and her mother's rose garden, but somehow he seemed to enjoy it when Audra would pick a few and make him carry them around, even wearing one behind his ear. That was a sweet memory Audra kept close to her heart. Coming here this time of year, she could always see him smiling and giving her a kiss when she put that flower behind his ear.

Audra dismounted and tethered her horse to a tree, then went down to the creek, to that spot where they used to picnic. It was a beautiful day, warm but not too warm, with no breeze to speak of. She sat down on a log in the grass – a log so old that she had sat there with her father. It was beginning to fall apart, but it was still comfortable. It still brought sweet memories.

"Oh, Papa," she said softly out loud. "You know I miss you with all my heart, but I hope you know I'm doing just fine. I know, not having a big party this year might be upsetting you, but it just didn't seem right after last year. I'm not sure I'll ever want a big party again, honestly." She took a deep breath. "I don't know what happens to people like Evan after they're gone. Something inside me hopes they all become healed in heaven. Maybe he understands now. Maybe he's reconciled with God. Maybe even you welcomed him there."

Audra picked a flower and put it into her hair. She didn't speak out loud anymore, so she actually heard the horse coming. She looked up and saw a man she didn't know. Uneasy, she stood up.

He was young, quite handsome, and smiling. "Hello," he said. "I'm sorry to disturb you but I think I've gotten lost. I was on the road to Stockton but somehow wandered off of it. I saw your horse. I thought maybe you could set me straight."

Audra smiled, cautiously. "It's actually right behind you, about two miles. When you reach it, go to your left and Stockton is about ten miles away."

"Thank you," he said and tipped his hat.

Then, suddenly, they heard the thunder rumble. They both looked startled. There really weren't any thunderclouds around that they could see, but sitting higher up the man looked further to the west and could see the edge of dark clouds on the other side of the hills.

"Uh-oh," he said. "There is a storm coming – pretty fast it looks like, too."

Audra headed for her horse. "I suppose I'd better head home," she said and mounted.

"May I escort you?" the young man asked. "I'd hate for you to get caught in the storm alone."

Audra gave a wary look toward the hills. Higher up now, she could see the clouds, too. She knew she would never make it home before the rain and wind and lightning hit. She wondered what to do.

"Please," the man said. "You lead the way. I'll be right behind you, just in case you can't make it there in time to beat the rain."

Audra smiled a little. "All right."

She took off at an easy gallop, and the young man followed along. There was no time to chat, but even if they hurried, it was clear they were not going to make it to the mansion before the storm blew in. When the wind began to pick up uncomfortably, the young man moved up beside Audra, saying, "We should take cover. Is there anywhere nearby we can do that?"

Audra pointed, without stopping. "There's a bluff under that ridge of rocks – right over there. We can get deep enough under it to stay dry if the wind doesn't change direction."

The young man nodded and Audra picked up speed. The wind was really whipping when they got there. While Audra got under the bluff, the young man took charge of their horses and took them to a spot in the rocks where Audra told him they would be protected. He tethered them there and hurried back under the bluff just as the thunder began to roll more heavily and the rain came down.

The young man fell down beside Audra, deep under the bluff, with a relieved sigh. "Wow. That certainly came up fast."

"It can do that this time of year," Audra said. "I just hope it doesn't last long. I'm supposed to be home in another hour."

The young man offered his hand. "My name is Randy Maitland. I'm new around here, as you probably already figured out. I'm just now moving to Stockton."

Audra shook his hand. "I'm Audra Barkley."

"Oh!" he said, surprised. "I know your brother, Jarrod."

"You do?" Audra's smile grew.

"From San Francisco," Randy said. "I'm a lawyer there, too. I told Jarrod I was wanting to relocate somewhere smaller, and he suggested Stockton, so – Stockton, here I come!"

Audra laughed a little but jumped when a bolt of lighting and clap of thunder hit at almost the same moment.

Randy put his arm around her. "That was close. Fireworks for my welcome?"

"It seems like it," Audra said and pulled away from him a little bit.

Randy moved his arm. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so familiar so fast."

Another clap of thunder and bolt of lightning sent Audra back under his arm. The rain was edging toward them, driven by the wind, but they were still dry. "I think I don't mind you being familiar right now," Audra said. "Tell me, how do you know Jarrod?"

"From cases we've had together," Randy said. "I admire your brother very much. I'm hoping we can work together some more once I settle in in Stockton."

More lightning and thunder made Audra move closer, and now she was beginning to be frightened. They were still dry, but the rain was coming in closer.

"Not the birthday I was hoping for," Audra said.

"It's your birthday?" Randy asked. And then he laughed. "Happy Birthday!"

His laughter made Audra laugh, too. Another flash of lightning and roll of thunder, and bits of rain beginning to come in on them, made Randy put his other arm around Audra.

"Let's see if I can keep you a little dry," he said. "I'd hate to deliver you home to Jarrod soaking wet."

Audra suddenly realized. "He and my brothers are probably caught out in the rain, too. Our mother is likely to have a fit."

More lightning and thunder sent Audra shivering.

"Don't be afraid," Randy said quietly. "The worst of it will be over soon."

Audra started thinking about streams swelling over their banks. She and Randy were fine here. There was no real stream to cross on the way home. But her brothers would have streams to cross, and that worried her. The wind was letting up, but the rain was coming down in buckets now. It was raining so hard that they couldn't even hear each other over the racket, so they sat huddled together, waiting for it to stop.

Although, Audra thought to herself, this isn't a bad way to wait out a storm.

XXXXXXX

The rain took another half hour to stop. Randy made sure Audra was all right before he went for the horses, but in a few moments he came back without them.

"I have bad news," he said. "The storm must have made the horses spook and pull free. They're gone."

Still sitting on the ground under the bluff, Audra sighed, worried about her horse. She began to crawl out. Randy reached a hand down to her, but he couldn't keep her from getting muddy as she came out from under the bluff and stood up. "My horse will head home," Audra said. "They'll come looking for me."

Randy kept hold of her hand. "We may as well start walking. Is it very far?"

"Three or four miles," Audra said. "Cross country. It will take us a couple hours to get there, if they don't come find us quicker."

They heard thunder rolling off far away now. "Well," Randy said, scanning the sky, "I think the storm is gone at least. Let's see if we can make it without getting any wetter."

Audra took a look at herself. Her clothes were muddy, and now her hair was, too. She assumed there was mud on her face as well. "Maybe if it rained on us, it would get this mud off of me."

Randy smiled. "You look beautiful as you are, Miss Barkley."

Audra liked his smile. "Please, call me Audra."

"If you'll call me Randy."

They both noticed for the first time that he hadn't let go of her hand since helping her out from under the bluff. Randy smiled about it and squeezed her hand. Audra liked it. "Let's go," she said, and they started off, still holding hands.

XXXXXXX

Jarrod rode into the stable yard, happy to have been wearing his rain poncho because otherwise he would have been soaking wet. The rain had stopped before he came in and the sky was clearing – but any relief he felt about it flew away when he saw his mother and Ciego outside the stable. Ciego had hold of Audra's horse and another one, both saddled. But Audra was nowhere to be seen.

And Victoria looked worried. "Audra's horse came in with this one a few minutes ago," she said, hurrying to Jarrod before he dismounted.

"Did she say where she was going to go when she left?" Jarrod asked.

"Brady Creek, that spot where your father used to take her."

Nick and Heath were coming in as Victoria was explaining things to Jarrod. Jarrod looked up at them, saying, "Looks like Audra might be caught out there on foot because of the storm."

"Let's go get her," Nick said.

Heath took the reins of both horses from Ciego, asking, "Who's this other one belong to?"

As Nick and Jarrod took off, Ciego said, "No se, senor. It just came in with Senorita Audra's."

Leading both horses along, Heath took off at a gallop after Jarrod and Nick. They made a beeline for Brady's creek, worried, planning where they were going to go next if they reached the creek and didn't find Audra. But they needn't have worried. Coming over a hill not half a mile away from the house, Audra and Randy were still walking hand in hand. Nick and Jarrod looked at each other when they heard them laughing, and as they drew closer, Jarrod said with a sigh, "That's Randy Maitland."

Audra and Randy wore big smiles they should not have been wearing, given the state of their clothing, their hair and their faces. Nick and Jarrod pulled to a stop, Heath right behind them. Beaming even though she was wet and muddy, Audra said, "Hi, boys! Jarrod, look who I found!"

Utterly relieved, her brothers began to breathe again. Heath tossed the reins of the horses he led down to them. Randy caught the reins, kept his own and handed Audra's off to her. He helped her up into the saddle, saying, "I was hoping I'd get an introduction to this beautiful sister you keep telling me about, Jarrod, but I didn't think it would be quite like this."

As Randy mounted up, Jarrod said, "Randy Maitland, meet my brothers, Nick and Heath."

"We got caught in the storm," Audra said, almost laughing.

"Well, you don't look too much the worse for wear," Heath said.

"We ducked under the bluff not far from the creek to keep dry," Audra said, "but getting out from under the bluff messed us up a bit."

"Let's get you home and cleaned up," Nick said. "Thanks for looking after our baby sister, Randy."

"Baby Sister…" Audra muttered under her breath.

"Randy, why don't you head home with us and clean up, and stay for dinner?" Jarrod offered.

Randy looked at himself and laughed. "I don't really have any clean clothes to change into."

"You look to be about my size," Heath said. "I'll lend you some dry clothes, and it is Audra's birthday. You can be her present."

Audra swatted Heath with the reins of her horse. Randy laughed. "I don't know. I've had such a nice couple hours, I feel like I'm the one who got the present."

"Stay for dinner," Jarrod said.

"We've got cake," Nick said.

"Well, if you've got cake – " Randy said.

XXXXXXX

After a clean up, and drinks and dinner, and cake, everyone was so relaxed and happy that none of the Barkleys could remember a better birthday party in this house. Randy told a few stories on Jarrod, who told a few stories on him. They talked a little bit about getting Randy settled in Stockton, then retired to the parlor for coffee and more conversation.

"Actually, I keep wondering what it was that got me lost off the Stockton road today," Randy said after explaining how he got to be where he was. "It's not like it's a measly little road or anything, but somehow – I don't know, maybe I was daydreaming or something – somehow, all of a sudden, I was off the road and coming up to the creek. That's when I saw Audra. I was afraid I was going to scare her to death and I was just going to go back to the road where she directed me when all of a sudden that storm blew in."

"We never got the chance to get any farther than the bluff when the wind and the thunder and the lightning and the rain just rolled right in," Audra said.

"I think we all got caught in it, one place or another," Heath said.

"And I was worried about all of you," Victoria said. "Especially when those horses came in."

"Well, all's well that ends well," Jarrod said. "I hope you've had a happy birthday despite the storm, honey."

"It's just the kind I wanted this year," Audra said.

"Which reminds me," Nick said. He put his drink down, went to the far side of the room and pulled a large box out from under the desk there. He brought it back and sat it on the coffee table in front of Audra. "My darling," he said, and everyone laughed that he didn't say "Baby Sister." "This is from all your loving brothers. Happy Birthday." He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

It was a sizeable box, about two feet square and six inches deep. Audra had no idea what it could be. She opened it carefully, lifted the top slowly and took a peak inside. Then her face lit up and she took the top off.

Inside was a lovely soft green gown, one Audra had seen when she was last in San Francisco. She lifted it out, her mouth open. "Oh, my goodness, I never thought I'd see this again!"

"Well, I'll tell you something," Jarrod said. "I remembered how much you liked it but I didn't think to buy it until the last time I was there. And Randy was with me when I got it."

Audra looked surprised and turned toward Randy. "You were there when Jarrod picked this out?"

"I was," Randy said, "so I guess it was destiny that I'd be here tonight. It's beautiful, Audra. It will be beautiful on you."

Victoria came up with a small box she'd had hidden under the settee. "And this is from me," she said.

Audra beamed, opened the box, and saw beautiful pearl earrings and a pearl necklace. "Oh, Mother, these are wonderful."

Audra went to her mother and kissed her, then kissed each of her brothers – and then stopped in front of Randy. She hesitated, but his smile made her smile grow bigger. She kissed him on the cheek, too.

"And now, some music," Victoria said, got up and went to the piano.

As she began to play, Randy bowed to Audra. "Would the lovely birthday girl dare to be seen dancing with a cowpoke like me?"

Audra laughed. "She'd love to."

As Audra and Randy began to dance, her brothers stood watching, smiling. "Looks like your birthday beau plan worked out pretty darned well, Jarrod," Heath said.

"Yeah, Pappy," Nick said. "Just how did you manage to conjure up that storm, anyway?"

"The good Lord did that, Brother Nick," Jarrod said, "or maybe he had help from a certain doting father up there keeping him company."

"Maybe so," Nick agreed.

They watched Audra dance, her eyes dancing happily as well. Maybe it wasn't the lavish ball they had tried when Audra turned 19, but maybe that wasn't the right birthday for her in the first place. This one – quiet, loving, with a new young man holding her in his arms, a young man they knew was respectable and trustworthy – maybe this was the best birthday there could have been.

"Happy Birthday," Randy said quietly to Audra as they danced.

She alone heard him. She smiled. "Yes, it really is."

The End


End file.
